


four guardians

by chivalrousAmour



Category: Yandere Simulator (Video Game)
Genre: Comedy, F/F, Romantic Comedy, Unwanted Harem, Yandere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-02-27 22:58:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13258380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chivalrousAmour/pseuds/chivalrousAmour
Summary: In the course of one week, Akane had to stop seven rituals from taking place. By Tuesday, she had a fire extinguisher stationed by the Occult room just for that purpose. By Wednesday, the Occult Club room was shut down for the safety of the other students. By Thursday, Akane had implemented a "mace-on-sight" policy if Oka Ruto was ever seen carrying anything other than school books and school supplies. By Friday, she made it a rule to ensure Ruto's textbooks weren't just occult books disguised as normal books, after Ruto decided, for whatever reason, that it was a good idea to summon Aishi's mother.(Ten girls fall for Ayano Aishi over the course of ten weeks. The Student Council has to deal with the fallout.)





	1. Chapter 1

The first time it happens, Aoi thought it was a coincidence. After all, they were all in the same class, same floor, what did it mean if they headed the same direction whenever it was time to go to class? Zilch, that's what.

But then it happened again, this time with something a little more suspicious: Pigtails tailing behind Ponytail to the courtyard at lunch. Normally, Pigtails would eat with her childhood friend or something, so why was she changing routine now? Aoi was curious.

So she watched from afar, her one eye trained on the dark-haired girl. She didn't even seem to notice the bright orange pigtails trailing after her, when she went to the library, the roof, the courtyard. Sure enough, Pigtails even followed her to the bathroom, whistling badly and failing to act casual the entire time.

Aoi brought it up after school for their daily meeting. Akane was concerned, of course she was, she worried about everyone. Shiromi raised her hand and offered to investigate, but Aoi lowered it for her. They didn't need twelve fights breaking out for the sake of one kid.

Kuroko said they didn't have much proof, so they couldn't do anything until it was proven Najimi is actually stalking her. Then she moved onto talk about club management, and Aoi almost forgot about it.

'cept for the fact that, next week, Akane mentioned something that worried her. The Cooking Club's president came back from sick leave or whatever, and Akane thought she might still be unfit to attend school. Odayaka did things like drop knives and burn food and spill batter when Akane went to check on her, and it was getting worrying. Shiromi offered a hand. Aoi slapped it down again, saying she'd check it out instead.

The next day, she marched into the Cooking Club and asked what in the world Odayaka thought she was doing. The aspiring chef said _'it's nothing, just lightheaded, just recovering, I'll be fine, you can leave **right now-** '_

But Aoi didn't believe that, and she stayed. Odayaka protested, but then her phone alarm went off, and like a dog conditioned to react to bells, she moved automatically. In a matter of seconds, she straightened her apron, fixed her bangs, and grabbed a tray of cookies from the counter. The door was propped open with her foot, and Aoi immediately noticed the flat look on the ponytailed girl's face in the hallway. The girl barely reacted as Odayaka invited her in, waving her pastries alluringly. The only time she said anything was when she spouted off some obviously well-used line about watching her weight.

Odayaka turned around to sulk over her food, missing the bright orange pigtails that followed after the object of her affections.

Aoi griped about it at the meeting. Turned out it was just a stupid love triangle thing. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing worth their time, either. Quit worrying, Akane.

Aoi was proven wrong the week after, because of course she was. Half the school heard the Drama Club president's immediate, loud, and, well, _dramatic_ declaration of love when she made it in the middle of the courtyard. The other half heard it through gossip and witness accounts, even some dramatic reenactments. It was the latest juicy bit of gossip, so it spread around the school by the end of lunch.

Apparently, Sunobu saw Ayano Aishi (so that's her name) and fell in love at first sight, or something stupid like that. Either that, or she was promoting her new play. Either way, she grabbed Aishi's hand and dropped to one knee, idiotic proclamations of love spilling from her mouth at the speed of light.

Five minutes into the script of the world-known, widely-acclaimed romantic tragedy called "Shakespeare, probably," Aishi finally spoke. Her reaction was something that would be etched into the mind of the student body for the rest of the year. Or until they lost interest. Whichever one came first.

_'Are you done yet?'_

Even Aoi found that hilarious. Hell, even _Kuroko_ cracked a smile at that.

At least until the next day, when Sunobu had been said to be waiting outside Aishi's classroom for her, passing her tickets with a flourish and a rose.

Aishi ignored her.

Throughout the week, they heard gossip and stories, each more concerning than the last. Aishi reportedly received a box of chocolates in her locker, a new phone charm on her desk, and tickets snuck into her bag. People were also talking about how Najimi had suddenly abandoned the decade-old tradition of walking home with her childhood friend to go off in the other direction. Odayaka's sudden obsession with heart-shaped chocolates was another popular story among members of the Cooking Club. Plus, talk of Sunobu's plans to forcibly recruit someone had reached Shiromi's ears...

But, again, it was all gossip. Gossip and conjecture and coincidence. They couldn't do anything based on that, so all they could do was wait until Aishi came for help herself.

Unfortunately, though, Aishi didn't, and she still didn't, even with the start of a new week. Even when that week started off with a bang.

Literally.

At the ungodly hour of five in the morning, the president of the Occult Club decided to summon a demon. The ritual involved candles, whipped cream, and copious amounts of metal.

Predictably, it didn't end well. But, somehow, she actually seemed to contact a demon or something. Or maybe she was loony from the fumes. Or maybe she was just loony in general.

Either way, Ruto gained an obsession with the "spawn of the succubus", otherwise known as- you guessed it- Ayano Aishi.

In the course of one week, Akane had to stop seven rituals from taking place. By Tuesday, she had a fire extinguisher stationed by the Occult room just for that purpose. By Wednesday, the Occult Club room was shut down for the safety of the other students. By Thursday, Akane had implemented a "mace-on-sight" policy if Oka Ruto was ever seen carrying anything other than school books and school supplies. By Friday, she made it a rule to ensure Ruto's textbooks weren't just occult books disguised as normal books, after Ruto decided, for whatever reason, that it was a good idea to summon Aishi's _mother_.

The saddest part was, that wasn't even the worst ritual she tried. She also tried to summon a demon with dozens of arms just so she could learn how to massage Aishi whenever she was stressed. Plus, she tried to summon a flame demon to prevent Aishi from ever getting too cold, bake more efficiently, and set the houses of her romantic rivals on fire. And the repeated attempts to summon the succubus, which sometimes included sushi and rope.

(You might be wondering how in the blazing hell Ruto managed to avoid being expelled for several counts of property damage, vandalism, and arson. The answer was, in short; cash. Her parents had so much of it that they barely noticed if their darling daughter's tuition had a few more zeros at the end... or a dozen. You'd be hard-pressed to find any headmaster willing to let go of that much income.)

It isn't surprising that Akane was a bit strained by the end of the week. And by "a bit strained", Aoi meant "trigger-happy and ever-so-slightly murderous."

Hopefully, though, after that week, things could only get better. After all, if you hit rock bottom, you could only go up, right?

It should be noted that the Akademi Student Council had not considered the existence of pickaxes when they thought that. Or, in this case, the existence of one Asu Rito.

The first thing the president of the Sports Club did after returning from a four-week competition was see Aishi's face. The second thing she did was scoop Aishi up and make a run for it. Aoi and Shiromi had to chase her down and mace her. They managed to do it fine, until four other girls ran out too...

Najimi was carrying a chair and looked absolutely furious. Odayaka was smiling, but, given that she was brandishing a knife, it probably wasn't a good kind of smile. Sunobu had a mask and gloves on, along with a baseball bat. Ruto had a book on curses that Akane had confiscated at least three times before.

They said some excuse about protecting Ayano. Then Shiromi and Aoi maced them, since it was against school policy to be carrying weapons.

Fortunately, the mace seemed to discourage the four stalkers from ever trying that again. Unfortunately, Rito didn't get the message. She attempted to carry Aishi off at least six more times.

Like Akane before her, Aoi quickly adapted to her opponent's tactics. Since her opponent's tactic of choice was mostly _'run in and grab Aishi and run away before I can get caught_ ', it was mostly a matter of macing her in the face whenever she was headed towards Aishi.

The good news was that none of Rito's kidnapping attempts worked out. The bad news was that Kuroko had to order two more boxes of pepper spray before the week ended. Until they arrived, Aoi had taken to escorting Aishi to and from class to make sure nothing happened. Not that it was hard, since they went the same way anyways.

Unfortunately, Rito was slightly smarter than she expected. Slightly. One time, she had the foresight to ambush Aishi after school ended, when Aishi was almost out of her sight. Aoi had to chase after them and throw Rito into a tree to get her away from the kid.

After that, Aoi asked why Aishi never seemed to tell that crazy girl to knock it off. Or _any_ of the crazy girls to knock it off.

Aishi said she didn't really care enough to.

Aoi looked at her like she was insane. Which she was, given that she somehow didn't care about being manhandled and carried away on an almost daily basis. Plus the stalking. Did Aoi mention the stalking?

Aishi shrugged, before explaining that it was nothing more than an inconvenience. As long as she got her homework done before school, she didn't care where she was staying.

It was then that Aoi questioned her on how the hell her parents didn't teach her a little something called _self-preservation._

Aishi shrugged again.

_'Mom says getting kidnapped to be with your lover forever is romantic.'_

Aoi slammed her tea cup onto the surface of the table at the memory, almost shattering it.

' _No wonder Aishi doesn't ask for help, her folks never taught her how to care about her safety_!' She roared.

 _'Actually...'_ Akane frowned, steepling her fingers together and resting her chin on them. _'Do we know she has parents at all?'_

 _'Never heard her say anything about her family before, actually,'_ Shiromi noted.

 _'I'll check her files,'_ Kuroko stated, standing from her seat.

About five minutes later, the four of them were staring down at a student profile in horror.

One note under her living conditions said that her parents were on vacation for an unknown amount of time. No one knew when they would be back.

That was the closest thing to _'they're dead, Midori,'_ as they would ever get.

 _'She lives alone,'_ Kuroko noted, dismay slowly entering her tone.

 _'One of her classmates follows her around all day,_ ' Shiromi added.

 _'Amai memorized her schedule,'_ Akane whispered quietly.

 _'Sunobu keeps breaking into her locker...'_ Aoi grumbled.

_'Ruto carries out demonic rituals in an attempt to win her heart as well.'_

_'And then there's Rito,'_ Shiromi concluded, her smile almost dropping. Almost.

 _'The attempted kidnapper,'_ Akane said with a sigh.

 _'This girl is totally in danger!'_ Aoi exclaimed, slamming her fist down on the table. _'We have to find a way to protect her!'_

 _'But... how?'_ Akane wondered. _'We can get enough proof to say Oka is a danger, maybe enough to say Asu should be kept away from her, but for the others, it's just hearsay and our testimony.'_

 _'Our testimony has to be enough! We're the Student Council, aren't we?! Everyone listens to us!'_ Aoi declared.

_'We require substantial evidence to push for any sort of punishment, evidence the guidance counselor can verify,'_

_'And we have ways to get that evidence,'_ Shiromi retorted with a sly smile.

 _'We're not stalking them!'_ Aoi shot back. _'We'll be just as bad as them if we did that!'_

 _'Also, it's illegal,'_ Akane added helpfully.

 _'Evidence gathered unlawfully is inadmissible,'_ Kuroko declared. _'We either need Aishi-san to ask for help so we can start an official investigation, or a scandal so large, we have no choice but to investigate.'_

They left that meeting feeling frustrated at their lack of progress. Or, Aoi was, at least. You'd think after five weeks, they'd find a solution, but no. They were stuck waiting or using unsavoury tactics, and Aoi was beginning to see why Shiromi kept offering.

It was frustrating, knowing that they should have been able to help, but couldn't because of something like ' _regulations_ ' and ' _procedures_.' It was annoying, knowing they had the power to protect her, but had to wait and wait and _wait_ for their chance to move in. It was irritating, knowing that they had to react when all they wanted to do was act to help one of their students.

Aoi had always been an aggressive person. Being stuck on the defensive just didn't sit right with her. She just wanted to rush in and punch everything until it stopped being a problem. But stupid rules, stupid expectations, and stupid people wouldn't let her.

Since she couldn't just beat up the stalkers, Aoi threw herself into protecting Aishi instead. Not only did they walk to and from class together, Aoi walked her home most days of the week. Plus, after a certain incident with Najimi and a bucket of red paint, they started eating lunch together, too.

It wasn't much, but it was all Aoi could do. That's why she did it.

It had nothing to do with trying to talk to Aishi, or with how the ponytailed girl divulged so little about herself that each scrap of info Aoi got on her could be considered a treasure in its rarity. It wasn't because Aishi, for all her social ineptitude, seemed to understand her deeply. Like her use of violence as a first, second, and final resort, and her desire to protect those close to her. It definitely had nothing to do with how Aishi would listen to her complain about everything from her work to how hot the classroom was, all without judgment or reprimands. (Unlike _some_ people.) Or how Aishi sometimes seemed curious about her life, but never she pressed on anything, never bugged her with annoying questions. (Aoi had enough of the first-years asking what happened with her eye, thanks.)

She was being protective because she was a member of the Student Council. Aishi was a student, and Aishi happened to be in danger most of the time. Aoi wouldn't care about her a bit otherwise.

Probably.

It wasn't much help to Aoi in her denial, but the others in the Student Council had built up a bit of a fondness for Aishi too. Shiromi would drop by their class sometimes to check on her, Akane would offer help in any subject and any area. And Thursday of the sixth week was the one time Kuroko ever seemed close to dropping her formal demeanor.

Aishi was feeling under the weather, so Aoi escorted her to the nurse's office. Their normal nurse was out for the week, but Aoi figured the replacement was both trustworthy enough and strong enough to be counted on to keep Aishi safe.

She turned out to be wrong, because of course she was.

Kuroko stormed into the Student Council room after school, Aishi following after her. The other three Student Council members waited for an explanation, which neither of the pair seemed enthusiastic to give.

 _'The substitute nurse has left the school,'_ Kuroko reported. _'The faculty will be looking for a replacement for tomorrow, but it's a low priority.'_

 _'Got a feeling it's got something to do with you,'_ Shiromi stated simply, glancing at Aishi. The girl was standing by the table, staring down at the teapot in disinterest.

 _'Come, dear, why don't you sit down and tell us what happened?'_ Akane offered invitingly, pulling out a chair for Aishi.

She took the seat hesitantly, before shrugging.

_'I don't remember.'_

Kuroko cleared her throat, pulling out her phone.

_'I believe this will explain most of the situation.'_

She unlocked the phone, the screen displaying a picture. On one of the cots in the infirmary, Ayano Aishi was unconscious, her hands and feet tied to the railing with bandages. The substitute nurse was on top of the sleeping girl, holding Aishi's head close to her chest.

 _'I'm going to kill that woman,'_ Aoi growled.

 _'I've already arranged for her to leave the school,_ ' Kuroko retorted. _'No further action is necessary.'_

 _'Doesn't mean it wouldn't be fun,'_ Shiromi said, though with her omnipresent smile, it was hard to tell whether it was truly a farce or not.

Aoi told her to knock it off, before glancing at Aishi. Akane was pouring her some tea, fussing over her and her safety.

 _'Hey, Aishi,_ ' She called out.

 _'Yes, Ryugoku-san?'_ Aishi responded politely.

_'You still feeling sick?'_

_'No.'_

_'That's great!'_ Akane piped in. _'I'm so glad you're feeling well!'_

_'Thank you, Toriyasu-senpai.'_

_'So formal,'_ Shiromi observed. _'We don't need two Kurokos here.'_

_'And just what is that supposed to mean?'_

_'Exactly what I just said. We don't need two Kurokos here.'_

_'What she means is that you're both excellent people in your unique traits!'_ Akane exclaimed hurriedly. _'We wouldn't want Ayano to try to copy you or something, since that would mean losing what makes both of you unique-!'_

 _'Wrong,'_ Shiromi retorted, crushing Akane's attempt at diplomacy in one go. ' _I meant it's weird enough that one person calls me Torayoshi-san, so don't do that with me.'_

 _'You would like me to call you something else?'_ Aishi asked.

_'Bingo.'_

' _Shiromi, I swear, if you're about to say something like Supreme Mistress of the Universe, I'm gonna punch you_ ,' Aoi promised.

 _'Not what I had in mind, but interesting. How come that's the first thing on your mind_?' She leaned towards Aoi, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. _'Is there something you're not telling us, Aoi-chan?'_

_'I'm going to punch you in the face, I swear to-'_

_'Cease your immature squabbling at once!'_ Kuroko ordered. _'What would you do if word got out that half the Student Council kept arguing and issuing threats to each other over meaningless matters?'_ She unconsciously glanced at Ayano, who shrugged.

_'I'm not going to gossip about that.'_

' _And besides, I didn't threaten anyone_ ,' Shiromi added. _'It's all her.'_

_'Shut up!'_

_'Now, now, let's all just calm down and try to talk about something else, alright_?' Akane reached out towards Shiromi and Aoi, looking like a mediator doing her best to calm the two down. But really, she was just getting ready to restrain one of them if violence broke out.

' _What kind of tea is this?'_ Aishi asked out of nowhere.

' _Expensive, probably_ ,' Aoi answered.

 _'Umm... I think it might be... green tea?'_ Akane offered hesitantly.

 _'It's black,'_ Aishi pointed out.

 _'It's more of a really dark brown,'_ Shiromi countered.

 _'There is literally no difference between that and black,'_ Aoi said flatly.

 _'Language,_ ' Kuroko reprimanded. ' _I will not have you pollute your vocabulary with the vernacular of this day and age.'_

_'What.'_

_'Misuse of the word 'literally' will be seen as a punishable offense.'_

_'What the fu-'_

' _Not in front of Ayano!'_ Akane exclaimed, covering... Aishi's... eyes...?

 _'Suddenly sensing a maternal aura here,'_ Shiromi said.

 _'What kind of stupid rule is that?! There's no way you could actually enforce it!'_ Aoi argued. ' _That's an obvious misuse of your power!'_

_'As a member of the Student Council, you have an image to uphold. You must come off as educated, well-mannered, diligent-'_

_'You're not my mom, Kuroko!'_

_'At least affix the proper suffix to the end.'_

_'Kuroko-shithead.'_

_'No.'_

_'No!' Akane echoed, still covering Aishi's eyes. 'You can't swear around our little Ayano!'_

_'I'm the same age as Ryugoku-san and Tora-'_

_'Hey,'_ Shiromi interjected. ' _Don't be another Kuroko.'_

_'...Shi...romi... san?'_

_'Better.'_

' _I'm the same age as Ryugoku-san and Shiromi-san_ ,' Aishi pointed out again, Shiromi giving her an approving grin. Or maybe it was just a normal grin.

' _But still...'_ Akane murmured, sighing over the sound of Aoi and Kuroko arguing.

_'I am willing to drop all plans for punishments of language-based infractions should Ryugoku refer to me with the proper honorific.'_

_'Hold up._ ' Shiromi snapped her fingers, realizing something. ' _You want her to be formal too. That's what this is about.'_

_'And if it was?' Kuroko asked._

_'Then I would question how any of you get anything done,_ ' Ayano whispered under her breath.

The other three members of the Student Council had no idea why Aoi suddenly started hacking her lungs up just then. Mostly because they didn't realize that her supposed suffocation was actually laughter.

But still, none of them could deny that their conversation that day was different from their other meetings. While they didn't get much done, it was productive in its own enjoyable way.

They wouldn't mind having Aishi over again, at least that's what Aoi thought.

(On Friday, they heard a few rumours circulating again. Apparently, the substitute nurse had received things like a headless cat doll, a cat doll's head with a knife stuck in it, poisoned chocolates, thorny rose stems wrapped around the handle to her front door, rocks thrown through all of her windows, and demonic runes spraypainted all over her house. The culprits were rumoured to be students of Akademi High.)

(The most anyone in the student council had to say on the matter was _'I'm impressed the culprit managed such detail and precision with a can of spray paint. Perhaps they should consider joining the Art Club instead of wasting their talents on vandalism.'_ )

(They were soon informed by the president of the Art Club that Oka Ruto had recently joined his group's artistic endeavors.)

On Monday, Aoi was on edge and itching for a fight. So, business as usual, except somehow even worse. Mostly because, this time, she wasn't allowed to actually fight the person setting her off.

Mida Rana was chosen as a substitute teacher for the week, since one of the third-year classes' teacher got sick and the headmaster got antsy if there wasn't someone trained in combat watching over groups of students for any extended amount of time. Aoi had known her for all of five minutes before the urges to throttle her began.

Mida Rana had never heard of dress code, for one thing. She was worse than some of the students, seeing as she seemed to undo her buttons the moment Aoi's back was turned just to spite her. Every other sentence out of her mouth was an innuendo. She smelled of bad perfume. And she didn't seem to know how to actually teach anyone anything, according to Kuroko.

But, the worst thing she ever did? The one thing she did that made Aoi hate her more than she thought was possible?

She looked at Aishi with those lecherous eyes. Scanned her body, her face, her mannerisms, and then licked her lips in anticipation of a meal. The damn woman even condemned Aishi to a week of detention for obviously false charges.

(Why would Aishi ever take panty shots of anyone?! What could she possibly want with them, u-unless, s-s-s- _she_ -!)

(Aoi couldn't complete that thought, because she imagined Aishi taking a picture of her panties, which implied Aishi would _want_ to see her panties, which implied Aishi harboured an attraction to her, which implied something she would deny ever thinking about.)

A week of after-school detention meant that Aishi couldn't attend the Student Council meetings. This had the unfortunate side effect of ensuring the four of them were productive, hardworking, and completely and utterly bored out of their minds. They missed the relaxed attitudes they adopted around her and the family-like atmosphere she brought to the group.

But still, Aoi was luckier than the rest of them. She still got to walk Aishi to class, eat lunch with her, and walk her home, since the meetings and her detentions ended around the same time. Aoi could rest assured knowing that she could be there to fight anyone who went after the other girl.

It was nice, until it wasn't.

It was nice to eat lunch with Aishi, until she caught sight of Odayaka glaring at them from behind the door. It was nice to talk to Aishi in class, until she spotted Najimi writing Aishi's full name in her notebook, over and over and over again. Walking Aishi to class was nice, until they had to pass by the Drama Club room, and Sunobu shoved roses in her face. Or Rito carried her off again. And don't even get her started on Ruto.

Rana, however, was on an entirely different level. She kept using her authority to isolate Aishi, to do whatever she wanted to the innocent girl, and Aoi couldn't do a thing about it! The woman was trying to monopolize Aishi, trying to block off all of Aoi's attempts to protect her! All of the Student Council's attempts to protect her! That woman couldn't be trusted at all! Rana made sure Aoi knew how powerless she was in comparison, and it was so frustrating-

~~(just wanted to beat her black and blue beat her bloody regain the power to protect-)~~

Resentment and anger resonated in her bones, boiled in her blood, burned in her eye, and bled in her chest. Ever-expanding, ever-growing, everlasting, until she just had to **snap**.

It was justified. Completely, totally justified.

Aoi saw it. Not all, but the part that mattered most. She saw it through the window in the classroom door, since she needed to walk Aishi home and-

Aishi was sitting at her desk, wearing her normal blank expression despite her tense posture. Mida Rana was leaning over the front of the desk, just to have her breasts in front of Aishi's face. The teacher grabbed Aishi's chin, tilting her head up as she inched closer and closer, painted lips puckering and-

Aoi broke the door when she threw it open. Both of the room's occupants turned to look towards her, before she punched the perverted substitute teacher in the face.

That was what she deserved for touching Ayano with her filthy fingers, for daring to try to taint Ayano's purity. For thinking she could ruin the innocent victim who had no idea how to protect herself, no idea that she needed to be protected from such horrible, horrible people. Aoi would break bones and spill blood. Aoi swore she would make an example out of her, a message to anyone who thought they could touch her-

Or she would have, if not for Ayano's hand on her wrist.

Ayano stopped Aoi from beating the teacher black and blue. Her classmate pretty much dragged her to the Student Council room just to keep Aoi from committing a murder.

Akane simply smiled and poured them tea. Mida Rana was gone by Monday, and with the start of a new week came another challenge. _Of course_.

Ayano started receiving love letters on her desk, with little gifts and sweets thrown in occasionally. They were sweet and cute and so normal the Student Council almost burst into tears after seeing them. No more of the weird, creepy things! No more kidnapping or harassment or stalking or chocolates showing up at her house or roses or tickets or Ruto's demonic and insanely-detailed paintings of her! True, someone else was pursuing Ayano, but they were doing it so _normally_!

This relief lasted for about a day, before Najimi went to the Student Council, saying that the recently-released-from-suspension super delinquent Osoro Shidesu broke into their classroom to leave gifts for Ayano. And then Odayaka said the same thing. And Sunobu. And Ruto. And Rito.

That obviously didn't help their mood. It was already bad enough that Ayano managed to attract people who had only seen her _once_ , but for her to attract... the leader... of a _gang_...

Well, that was absolutely terrible. What if she tried to use that power for stalking or tormenting her, or attacking Ayano should she reject her!? There was no way that one would end well! Not a single chance!

There was so much risk involved with Shidesu that the Student Council unanimously agreed that it would be the one and _only_ time Shiromi would be allowed to try things her way. Shiromi just smiled and told them she would do her best.

The next day, they heard news that Najimi, Odayaka, Sunobu, Ruto, and Rito were hospitalized. Apparently they tried to pick a fight with Shidesu after hearing a rumour that she contacted Info-chan for a picture of Ayano's panties. Unfortunately, though, Shidesu herself was unharmed. Shiromi just shrugged and said Shidesu was stronger than she thought.

Shidesu's incredible strength would be an enormous obstacle to overcome in the pursuit of Ayano's safety, an incredible ordeal, an almost insurmountable level of difficulty. They would only be able to take her on in a fight by ganging up on her, and that was much too dishonourable for the Student Council.

So they decided not to bother with that.

The answer was obviously to get Shidesu suspended again for trying to buy panty shots of another student. Despite her protests that her phone was stolen and that she didn't. Also, fighting other students, because that was a bad thing too. Even if they were stalkers.

The school was much more peaceful without all the weird stalking people. They didn't have to use their pepper spray at all in the next few days. Ayano didn't need help to throw out the gifts she kept getting. The president of the Art Club stopped having to have a fire extinguisher on hand for Ruto's erratic bursts of inspiration. There were no sporadic kidnapping attempts. All was calm and good and great.

Oh, yeah, Ayano kept attending their daily meetings, too. The Student Council even considered making her an official member once Megami started attending school again.

She seemed responsible, since she never got into trouble and all. And responsibility would be a great way to encourage her to be braver, hopefully enough to tell creeps to back off. The Student Council would have an excuse to keep her away from certain people and areas at the right times. And she was a delight to have during team meetings, though Akane was the only one willing to admit that. Plus, Ayano would look _amazing_ in their uniform.

That conversation would have to wait, though, since, of course, the peace didn't last.

Kuroko's classmate's little sister transferred to their school on Monday. Akane saw her checking out the clubrooms, and was overjoyed to see that she was so enthusiastic about extracurricular activities.

She was, until every club leader told her that the little Yamada was only interested in whatever club Ayano joined. The younger girl had also taken to trying to follow Ayano to class, asking for help with homework, and trying to butt into Ayano and Aoi's lunchtime conversations.

Akane's response was to pull the little Yamada into the Student Council room and lock the doors for an hour. According to Akane, she gave the younger girl a simple lecture on her behaviour.

Considering the fact that the older Yamada was overheard telling Najimi how his sister spent that night sobbing into her pillow, the others were disinclined to believe her. But, hey, the day after, the little Yamada apologized for _something something_ unworthy _blah blah_ improve herself _something yadda yadda_ and left. And she never came back to bother them again, so all was good.

(Kuroko noted that her teacher saw a sudden and dramatic improvement in the little Yamada's academic performance. Her teacher was so proud of the girl.)

Very little of note happened in the following days, which only made the Student Council's anxiety worse. They kept expecting something to happen they had to deal with, since something always did. But, they also hated the idea of something happening right before Megami finally returned. They did not want to disappoint their leader, nor cause any additional work for her when she returned.

So they did everything they could to prepare. They cleaned the Student Council room. Three times. Kuroko organized the filing cabinet and read her reports four times over. Aoi stopped a single fight with so much force that no one dared to start one again while she was at school. Shiromi kept her ears out for any sign of trouble. Akane had been kicked out of several clubs for checking on them so much. Ayano even bought new tea bags for them all (with supervision, of course).

Ayano was the only one calm on the day of Megami's predicted return, though you wouldn't know it. You needed a special kind of perception to see the slight tenseness in Shiromi's posture, how Aoi's frown was a tad too deep, how Akane's smile was a bit too forced, how Kuroko's back was a little too straight to be considered good posture.

When Megami walked into the Student Council, they were ready with greetings. They had practically memorized the way they would argue for Ayano's inclusion on the Student Council. Their report of the past few weeks was rignt on their tongue, the information waiting for the moment Megami asked for it.

None of that ended up being important, because Megami gaped at Ayano for a few seconds, before saying,

_'I would protect you from anyone that would ever hurt you. I'll break any rule for you.'_

The other four members of the Student Council were flabbergasted. Since when would their straight-laced, do-gooder leader say something like that?!

_'I need to install security cameras immediately. And metal detectors. I need to know where you are at any time of the day so I can better protect you.'_

What.

Ayano barely reacted to those words, since she was too used to people saying things like that to her. That meant that the Student Council had to react in her place. And really, there were only five words the Student Council could actually say in response to their earnest, hard-working, dedicated, devoted leader saying that.

"Megami, what the actual **_fuck_**."


	2. Chapter 2

Aoi had two moods: anger and _'I told you so'._

And she had been in the latter for about a week. 

See, Ayano, in a rare display of what normal people called ' _actual emotions_ ', did something out-of-the-ordinary on Monday. She ditched Aoi and went somewhere else for lunch. 

After approximately three heart attacks and four rushed dashes around the school, Aoi found her sitting on a bench on the roof. Aoi would have been relieved that her classmate wasn't being kidnapped again, if not for the person sitting with her.

Kokona Haruka.

There was nothing wrong with the girl in question. She was known to be sweet and stuff, probably. It was just... her repuation. 

In the _tiny_  amount of time between Megami's return and that day, Kokona's reputation had been damaged to the point of no return. Rumour got out that she was doing compensated dating, then a video of her selling her panties to a boy was spread around online, and, well... Word of mouth did the rest. In a few days, she went from popular girl to outcast. Her friends cast her aside and ignored her. Aoi even heard that they burned her friendship bracelet. 

It was sad. So sad, that her tale had somehow, _somehow_ , inspired _actual pity_  from Ayano. And so Ayano decided to hear her out. 

Aoi had been adamant that the situation could not end well. Ayano's interference could not make anything better. That was when Aoi told her so.

Aoi was ignored. 

The next day, Ayano asked Kuroko if she could borrow the keys to the nurse's office, since she needed some medicine. Aoi insisted on going with her, since without a nurse there, Ayano would be alone in the room. And ten weeks of creepy stalkers had taught the entire goddamn Student Council to never leave Ayano alone in a room. Ayano decided not to argue.

It turned out that the medicine Ayano needed was a tranquilizer. And a syringe. Ayano said it was for self-defense. And Aoi, being Aoi, decided to be glad that Ayano was finally showing signs of that little thing called _self-preservation_  instead of questioning why it involved a syringe at all.

She made a mental note to remind Ayano to return that later. Also to get Ayano some pepper spray. That was an idea they should have had a long time ago.

Aoi didn't really notice anything weird after that. Except for Ayano leaving for the washroom for a really long time, their lunchtime was back to normal. 

Kuroko mentioned a teacher complaining about the loanshark's daughter skipping class during the meeting, but overall, it was pretty uneventful. An argument between Aoi and Shiromi here, Akane and Kuroko complaining about colleges there, and the meeting was adjourned.

Habit had Aoi waiting for Ayano that afternoon, and they walked to Ayano's house together. That was that, until it wasn't.

The next day, Haruka greeted Ayano with a flying hug and sobbing. Apparently Ayano somehow got her dad out of debt or something. At that point, Aoi's ' _I told you so'_  levels were so strong she could have lifted a sandbag with them. Those levels only increased when Haruka stuck to Ayano like glue, promises of devotion and loyalty spilling from her mouth.

Aoi had no fucking clue when people started thinking that the Student Council had an open door policy, but Haruka just waltzed in there like she had a right to be there. Which she didn't, considering that she didn't have any business there. She claimed that Ayano was her business, but, honestly, Ayano was more of a corporation than anything. Maybe even a conglomerate. So they kicked her out.

That didn't stop her from trying again the next day. That time, she said she was interested in joining the Student Council. Akane asked if it was only because Ayano was there. Kokona had the decency to say no. 

It was because she was interested in protecting her friend.

Shiromi looked like someone spiked her tea with lemon juice and she was trying to hide it. Kuroko was scowling, Akane was almost frowning, and Aoi?

Aoi's ' _I told you so'_  levels were so off the charts, they needed to affix new paper to the graph to keep them _on_  the charts.

In the interest of protecting Ayano, they interviewed Kokona. About her interests, goals, and whatnot.

 _'Would you ever try to kidnap Ayano?'_  They asked.

 _'Of course not! She's my friend, and I'd never do anything to hurt her!'_  She answered.

 _'Are you willing to do work outside of protecting Ayano?'_  They asked.

 _'Of course! I cook, clean, make tea, organize, talk to people... I'll do anything you ask! Anything to keep Yan-chan safe!'_  She exclaimed in return.

The Student Council had to weigh their choices. On one hand, potential creeper, stalker, weirdo, etc. They dealt with a lot of those. On the other hand, she did chores. Also Akane believed in giving people chances. Mostly chores, though.

Kuroko did not want to take the chance. Akane did. Aoi knew it was a bad idea. Shiromi thought it would be good to finally drink some other kinds of tea. And Ayano didn't care.

So they settled it with rock-paper-scissors. And again, since they had a tie.

In the end, though, justice triumphed. Mostly because Kuroko remembered that as the Acting/Semi-Permanent Student Council President, she could veto everyone else. So she did.

' _Thank goodness that's over and done with,'_ Aoi thought incorrectly. _'Everything will be fine now.'_

And of course, she was soon proven wrong.

The next day, Aoi went to walk Ayano to school, mostly out of force of habit. Sometime after the Rana incident, Ayano decided it was easier to just give Aoi her own key, so she did. It was an honour that Aoi and only Aoi had been granted, which was why the one-eyed girl did a double-take at the sight of Haruka in an apron, humming and flipping pancakes in Ayano's kitchen.

A few minutes later, a sleepy Ayano walked in to find Aoi tying Haruka up with her own apron.

 _'What are you doing?'_  Ayano asked.

 _'Ayano! Why the hell is she in your kitchen!'_  Aoi demanded in return.

_'How should I know?'_

_'What?! So you're saying she broke in!?'_

_'I just wanted to make sure Yan-chan was eating a good breakfast!'_ Haruka protested.

_'This is still illegal, idiot!'_

Ayano decided to ignore them and go for the pancakes. A moment later, Aoi's stomach grumbled, and she sheepishly grabbed one too. 

 _'These are... actually pretty good...'_ Aoi murmured.

 _'Thank you for the meal,_ ' Ayano said out loud.

 _'Just knowing you enjoyed it is thanks enough!'_  Haruka replied.

_'Shut up, trespasser. You still haven't been forgiven for breaking in.'_

_'She makes good food, so I'm willing to ign-'_

_'Ayano, shut up and eat your pancakes.'_

_'...okay.'_

And she did, so they cleaned up and went to school.

At the day's meeting, Ayano brought up the fact that Haruka was pretty skilled in the kitchen. Shiromi lamented that she'd never get to taste Haruka's cooking, even though she was smiling.

Aoi suddenly jolted in her chair, turning to Ayano with a horrified look in her eye. 

_'Did we remember to untie Haruka?'_

_'What,'_ Kuroko said.

And Ayano just shook her head slowly.

_'Why didn't you say anything then?!'_

_'I assumed you wanted her to repent for breaking and entering,'_ Ayano stated.

_'Oh dear...'_

_'I did, but not if it means her starving to death on your kitchen floor! She might have been tied up for hours at this point!'_

Shiromi let out a low whistle.

_'Kinky.'_

_'YOU SHUT UP!'_

_'Not around the child!'_ Akane exclaimed, covering Ayano's eyes.

_'I'm the same age as them.'_

_'Their behaviour is still deplorable.'_

_'ARRRGHHHHHHH WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS HARUKA MIGHT BE DYING.'_

_'That's a bad thing?'_ Shiromi asked.

 _'_ YES,' Three voices replied in unison. Ayano just shrugged.

Well, anyways, Aoi grabbed Ayano and ran back to the latter's house. When they walked in, the kitchen was normal. No dying girl on the floor or discarded apron or anything. Instead, everything was... shiny?

Yep, everything was spotless. Despite Ayano taking a very passive stance on all forms of household maintenance, not a speck of dust could be found. The laundry had been hung to dry, the floors were mopped clean, and Aoi was reaching critical levels of _'what the actual shit.'_

They found Haruka (not dead) in Ayano's room. She was (alive and breathing) standing in front of Ayano's bookshelf and dresser. Haruka (not dying) had a book in one hand (which had a pulse) and a pair of panties in the other hand.

Aoi threw her bookbag at those purple drills, before beginning her mission to make Haruka not-so-alive after all.

 _'Did you organize my room?'_ Ayano inquired, ignoring Aoi's attempts to punch Haruka and Haruka's attempts to flee.

 _'Yes- eep!'_ Haruka yelped as Aoi swung at her again.

_'Get back here, you little-!'_

_'Nooooooo! It's a misunderstanding, I swear! I was just folding her clothes-'_

_' **I'll fold you like a pretzel!'**_

_'Eeeeeek!'_

Ayano moved to the doorway as Aoi chased Haruka out of the room.

_'Thanks for cleaning the house. Try not to die.'_

_'She appreciates me...!'_ Haruka exclaimed, letting out a dreamy sigh.

And then Aoi punched her in the face. 

Gently, of course. She didn't want to have to make Ayano clean up a corpse. 

As it was, the gentle punch was still enough to send Haruka into the wall.

Ayano just sighed quietly. 

 _'What?! Don't you look at me like that! I told you that this would end badly, didn't I!?'_ Aoi yelled.

_'That you did, Ryugoku-san. That you did.'_


	3. Chapter 3

The Student Council had been looking forward to a storm. 

For one, they couldn't get Haruka away from Ayano's side. For two, the four girls had finally gotten out of the hospital, along with Shidesu's suspension running out again. For three, the little Yamada had built up enough confidence to recommence pursuing Ayano. Megami had gotten out of more "family business", so she was attending school again. And, finally, there was the matter of Info-chan, their school's resident information broker.

According to some of Shiromi's sources, pictures of Ayano's panties were being paid for with more than triple the price of the Student Council girls. Combined. However, that was on the photographer's side. On the buyer's side, Ayano Aishi was the _only_  girl in school who had the honour of saying that her panty shots were off-limits to the average consumer.

Aoi had a sneaking suspicion that Info-chan may have been a perverted stalker. That suspicion was not helped by the part where Ayano got a text message from an unknown number with only three words; _'Hey. You dtf?'_

It got to the point where Ayano, as exasperated as she was, suggested giving up and just dating them.

It was the craziest idea they ever heard. 

Which was why it was terrifying when Ayano made it actually kind of make sense.

_'They're being weird because they want to date me, correct? So, if I just date them, they'll stop.'_

_'You're joking, right?'_ Aoi asked.

 _'I don't think she even knows the meaning of the word,'_  Shiromi declared.

 _'We have no idea if that's true,'_ Kuroko stated.

 _'Won't they be consumed with jealousy and anger if you choose one?'_ Akane asked. 

 _'So I'll date them all,'_ Ayano said flatly, somehow invoking the spirit of a harem anime protagonist without any of the spirit.

 _'That doesn't mean that they'll stop breaking into your house and stuff!'_ Aoi declared.

 _'If you're going to date someone, there needs to be some ground rules.'_ Kuroko reached for her pen and some paper.

 _'No weird gifts, maybe?'_ Shiromi offered.

 _'Or breaking into her house,'_ Aoi added.

 _'Or locker.'_ Akane poked at her tea with a mixer as she thought.  _'Maybe just leave Ayano-chan's things alone?'_

_'No annoying me. Or bringing me anywhere. Or affection without my consent. No talking to me unless I speak to you first.'_

_'...does that even count as dating?'_  Shiromi wondered.

 _'If I declare them my girlfriends, then it does,'_  Ayano huffed, completely certain of herself.

 _'You've never dated anyone before, have you?'_  Kuroko inquired.

_'No, but that's irrelevant.'_

_'No, it's really relevant,'_  Aoi retorted.  _'You can't date anyone if you don't even know what dating_ is _.'_

 _'It's less of a rulebook to dating and more of a restraining order,'_ Akane pointed out.  _'If we're helping you get a girlfriend, then we're gonna help you do it right!'_

_'You... you realize that I'm only dating them to get rid of them, right?'_

_'No one in the Student Council does things halfheartedly,'_ Kuroko declared.  _'You give it your all or you don't do it at all.'_

_'Is... is the latter no longer an option?'_

_'Nope,'_ Shiromi answered, making the 'p' pop.  _'Simply put: You fucked yourself into a corner.'_

_'Language!'_

_'We'll just have to teach you how to be a proper girlfriend,'_ Kuroko stated.  _'It shouldn't be hard.'_

 _'...I don't think you've dated anyone either,'_ Aoi pointed out.

_'Experience with romantic fiction will have to do.'_

_'No, it really won't!'_ Akane exclaimed.  _'Romance manga have become really unrealistic lately! Like situations where five girls are in love with the same guy-'_

 _'There have been at least_ twelve _people who are interested in Ayano,'_ Aoi shot back.

 _'Thirteen,'_ Shiromi corrected.

_'Shut up.'_

_'-also, too much heartbreak! We're not setting Ayano-chan up for failure with misunderstandings and drama! We want to help her get a happy ending!'_

_'So... she can't help either,'_ Ayano summarized.  _'And if you don't have any dating experience, you are also useless as an instructor, which means no one can instruct me at all. So we don't have to do this.'_

 _'Oh...'_ Akane realized, hey, she had a point.

 _'I've dated someone before,'_ Shiromi said suddenly. 

 _'...you did?'_ Aoi asked, completely baffled.  _'Who in the hell would even-'_

 _'A reliable instructor!'_ Kuroko exclaimed excitedly.

 _'We'll all be in your guidance from now on!'_ Akane added.

 _'Oh, joy,'_ Ayano grumbled.

 _'Lesson number one: At least_ pretend _you care about them a_ little _,'_ Shiromi instructed.  _'If you ask someone out with such a flat, monotone voice, they'll think you're pranking them.'_

 _'Oh, joy!'_ Ayano repeated loudly, yet just as flatly.

_'You're not even trying.'_

_'I'm not.'_

Shiromi smiled at Ayano, who just stared back with blank eyes.

And then Aoi spoke up.

 _'Random question: Do we even_ know _if any of those chicks are okay with polyamory? 'cuz like, if they're not, they might see this as cheating, get totally jealous, and then probably try to kill each other.'_

 _'That isn't the intended outcome?'_ Kuroko asked.

_'Why the fuck would it be the intended outcome?!'_

_'That was actually the intended outcome,'_ Ayano confirmed, and Aoi slammed her forehead into the table.

 _'At least we have a goal,'_ Shiromi said cheerily.

 _'That's not an honourable goal!'_ Aoi screamed from her spot on the table.

 _'It might work, though...'_ Akane mumbled.

 _'Not you too!'_ Aoi growled.

 _'We're never going to get anything done, are we?'_ Kuroko asked with a raised brow.

 _'Nope,'_ At least three people said at once.

 _'Not my fault.'_ Shiromi shrugged.  _'I can't mold a tree into a statue. With how undesirable Ayano is, I'm surprised these guys even like her at all.'_

 _'That's just rude! Apologize right now!'_ Akane ordered, hugging Ayano to her chest.

_'But I don't care-'_

_'Apologize!'_

_'Sorry,'_ Shiromi offered, somehow not sounding sorry at all.

 _'You suck at this,'_ Aoi stated bluntly.

 _'She does raise a valuable point, though. If we knew_ why _these girls all liked Ayano so much, we could use that to our advantage.'_ Kuroko hummed approvingly.

_'Stop sounding like you're playing some sick social manipulation game!'_

_'I'll use my contacts to get that info as fast as possible!'_ Akane declared, pulling out her phone and typing rapidly. Despite, y'know, not opening her eyes.

 _'She's the real terrifying one, isn't she?'_ Shiromi wondered out loud.

 _'I could learn a lot from you, Toriyasu-senpai.'_ Ayano's voice was ever-so-slightly warm with admiration, and she  _almost_ smiled. Almost.

It was more  _'calculating smirk'_ , but hey, take what you can get, right?

 _'Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, done!'_ Akane announced happily.

 _'Are you some kind of benevolent Info-chan?!'_ Aoi demanded in disbelief.

_'I really could learn a lot from you...'_

_'Well, then? What did you learn?'_ Kuroko inquired.

_'Well...'_

* * *

_'Y-you're asking me about_ that _girl? What, she's not anything special or anything! She's just in my class!'_ Najimi insisted, face bright red.  _'And I definitely don't like her or anything! That's totally wrong! She just... well, I lost my phone charm one day, and she went through the hedge maze to find it for me... even though she's quiet and not all that approachable, she's really nice... But don't get the wrong idea! I'm just grateful for what she did! W-wait, are you recording this?! Turn it off! Turn it off right no-'_

* * *

 Four heads turned to one contemplative Ayano.

_'I didn't look for it. I decided to go in the maze. It was in there, so I gave it back.'_

_'She fell for you... because you returned her phone charm,'_ Aoi summarized incredulously.

 _'Let's hope she better acquaints herself with the lost and found bin in the future,'_ Kuroko quipped.

 _'You asked for video format to preserve context and give additional clues in the form body language,'_ Shiromi noted.  _'I'm impressed.'_

 _'I've got a good head on my shoulders, you know!'_ Akane declared proudly, before playing the next clip.

* * *

  _'Ayano-chan...'_ Odayaka said the name in a breathless whisper, almost dropping her plate in her dazed state. The cameraman seemed to call out to her, as she snapped to attention.

 _'A-ah, yes, how I know her? Well, er, I missed the first week of school because I was sick, delirious, in a very, very bad condition, basically. But I came back a_ bit _too early, and wound up collapsing in the hallway. I'm okay now, fortunately, but the person watching over me then was... well, her...hehe, it's not bad to want to bake something for the girl you like, is it?'_

* * *

' _She fainted right in front of me,'_ Ayano explained.  _'I checked if she was dead. Then the nurse came.'_

 _'It's... it's just her blowing the entire thing out-of-proportion...'_ Aoi mumbled.

 _'Love is strange,'_ Kuroko offered.

 _'You've never been in love,'_ Shiromi retorted.

_'I've seen cats before.'_

_'Bestiality is illegal.'_

_'Not like that.'_

_'Alright, next one is Sunobu!'_ Akane exclaimed eagerly.

* * *

' _I have an eye for talent. Of course I do, I see it in the mirror everyday! And when I saw_ her...  _well, I saw someone dreadfully blind to the marvels and wonders of the world. So, as I am infinitely kind and generous, I've taken it upon myself to enlighten that poor soul! She'll weep at my tragedies, laugh at my comedies,_ **swoon**   _for my thrilling depictions of heart-pounding romances! I'll not surrender, not until she graces the stage beside me as my beautiful queen of opera!'_

* * *

  _'I didn't want a flyer for Romeo and Juliet.'_

_'Does she even have a crush on you?! Or is she just trying to get you to like drama?!'_

_'Beats me.'_

_'Let's move on to the next one.'_

_'Aye-aye, captain!'_

* * *

  _'Aishi is... intriguing. There's some sort of spell around her... one that makes my heart race and head go weird. When she's around... I feel like the world becomes more colourful. It's amazing that a succubus can have such pure energy... I want to unravel her mysteries and discover everything abiut her. Does... does that make sense?'_

* * *

  _'No,'_ Shiromi said simply.

_'I have to question why she would think you're a succubus in the first place.'_

_'I don't know. I didn't even meet her before the weird ritual.'_

_'You mean- she might have actually summoned the powers of the occult!'_ Akane yelped.

 _'Or she's just nuts,'_ Aoi deadpanned.

_'She's allergic to them.'_

_'Shiromi, do us all a favour and shut up.'_

_'You're wasting time,'_ Ayano snapped.

* * *

  _'Oh, yeah, I totally have a crush on Ayano!'_ Rito declared with pride. _'Why wouldn't I? She's so cute and pretty that you just wanna scoop her up and run away together! Girls love being treated like a princess!'_

The other person seemed to speak up, and Rito's face became thoughtful.

_'Why I started liking her? I mean, it's kind of an embarrassing story, oh- fine! I tripped in front of a whole bunch of people and then ripped my skirt! Everyone was staring and then Ayano picked me up and dragged me to the sewing room. She fixed up my skirt for me, and I've been head-over-heels ever since!'_

* * *

  _'I thought she would be useful,'_ Ayano explained. _'She's athletic but not too bright. I wanted her muscle, so I tripped her.'_

_'Well, that backfired spectacularly.'_

_'I'm so proud,'_ Shiromi proclaimed, pretending (?) to wipe away a tear. _'You're going to be a great manipulator someday.'_

 _'Stop being a bad influence,'_ Kuroko ordered.

_'I'm proud too! You were very kind, Ayano-chan!'_

_'Were you even listening, Akane?! Kindness was not the key component here!'_

* * *

 Muja Kina and Mida Rana were not available for comment, seeing as the former was unable to leave her house without demons chasing her and the latter was in jail, so they went to Shidesu's video.

Which just so happened to start with her slamming a guy's face into a wall. The wall dented around the impact, and the guy whimpered.

 _'Well?! Anyone else got anything to say to me?!'_ She roared, fingernails digging into scalp in a painful way.

The guy recording it actually seemed to say something. The question was so shocking that she dropped the other guy on the ground. The other guy was bleeding and crying, but Shidesu was too busy suddenly being in smitten schoolgirl mode to notice. You know, blushing, avoiding someone's gaze, shy posture, poking her fingers together, the works.

 _'A-Aishi? W-w-what does she have to do with this?'_ She whispered timidly. _'Well, u-um, it's just a little crush, you know? I spotted her in th-the library one day, and she looked so cool a-and smart and studious... I c-couldn't work up the nerve to talk to her, so I left her gifts...'_

The other guy gurgled a bit, and Shidesu exploded.

_'ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!'_

The video went on to show Shidesu stomping on the guy's body for a few seconds, before cutting out unceremoniously.

* * *

  _'What an impressive one-eighty...'_  Shiromi whistled.

 _'More like three-sixty,'_ Ayano retorted.

 _'More importantly, is that guy still alive?!'_ Aoi demanded.

 _'He was a delinquent,'_ Kuroko answered, like that somehow made everything better.

 _'We really need to talk about that concern for human life thing later,'_ Akane said with a sigh.

* * *

 _'Yan-chan-senpai?'_ Yamada blinked at the camera in curiosity, before blushing. _'She's just so cool! She's like the queen of high school with her cool beauty and stoic appeal! I've been studying my butt off so I can be smart enough to not embarrass myself in front of her! I'll become the top of my class, no, my_ grade _, and then I can finally approach her and then we can talk and fall in love and get married and have seventy-five kids-'_

* * *

 

 _'Too many kids,'_ Shiromi said, almost groaning at the thought.

 _'If she likes cool and stoic people, why didn't she fall for Kuroko?'_ Aoi wondered.

 _'I think part of Ayano-chan's appeal is how distant she is to other people,'_ Akane offered.  _'She's aloof and unapproachable, and that's precisely why people want to approach her. Kuroko's much too motherly for that.'_

_'I prefer to think of myself as a wise older sister.'_

_'You're more like a puffed-up grandma.'_ Shiromi snickered.

 _'...how do you puff up a grandma?'_ Ayano asked.

_'Obviously, you do it by giving them a canister of pressurized air to the lips and then pull the lever.'_

_'That's called attempted homicide,'_ Kuroko stated.

* * *

 

 _'The reason I wish to protect Aishi...?'_ Megami stared at the camera quizzically.  _'If it isn't clear to you now, it will never be clear to you, no matter how much I explain it.'_

 _'Please?'_ The camera person pleaded.

_'No.'_

_'Please?'_

_'No.'_

_'Please?'_

Megami sighed irritably.  _'Okay,_ fine.  _I like her, I've liked her since the moment I saw her. She just... seemed too small and innocent and vulnerable to ever be what her lineage said she could be. I had prepared for... a murderer, a manipulator, a master liar, but she was- she looked like more of a victim than anything else. I had to keep her safe.'_

* * *

 

 _'Lineage?'_ Ayano mumbled.  _'What would my family have to do with this?'_

 _'You... don't know?'_ Kuroko inquired, exchanging a glance with the rest of the Student Council.

_'...no. I don't know what she was talking about.'_

_'It's been said that...'_ Akane tried to explain, but a grimace came on her face.  _'W-well, the rumours have never been confirmed, let's move on!'_

And before anyone could protest, she hit the next button on her phone.

* * *

 

Haruka was doodling as she answered her classmate.

 _'How I got close to Yan-chan...? Well, you know the rumours about me, no need to bring that up. But... Yan-chan was there when I was at my lowest. She listened to me and supported me, she even found a way for me to stop having to do compensated dating! She... She_ saved _me.'_

Haruka's smile became a bit crazed as she added more hearts to her notebook, all of them surrounding Ayano's name.

 _'I don't need any false friends that would abandon me at the slightest chance of hardship. I don't need money or popularity. I just need_ her.  _I need to help her like she's helped me. She's my everything. I'll do anything for her. I'd give up my life for her. I'd_ kill  _for her.'_

* * *

 

The room was silent for a brief moment.

Then Aoi summed up all their thoughts on the matter with a very apt  _'Uh.'_

 _'Well... that's... yeah,'_ Shiromi managed to get out.

 _'Alright then,'_ Kuroko said, trying to keep her composure.

 _'Let's move on! Moving on right now!'_ Akane screamed in a hurry.

 _'Wait, there's more?'_ Ayano asked, right before Akane gasped at her phone.

Instead of a video, the last submission was a photo. Of Info-chan. 

_'What the fu-?! How did this person get a pic of Info-chan?! Isn't she completely anonymous?!'_

_'Impressive,'_ Shiromi purred.

 _'They... they got a photo of the school's information broker,'_ Kuroko reiterated in disbelief.

 _'I... wow,'_ Akane whispered.  _'I... I knew I knew some skilled people, but this... this is beyond all my expectat-'_

 _'Is that a motherfucking body pillow,'_ Aoi demanded flatly, squinting at the photo.

 _'What.'_ Ayano's expression could only be described as the result of drinking spoiled milk.

Because, well, Aoi was right. Info-chan was staring at six screens, which were enough to illuminate a bit of the surrounding area. Like the Ayano body pillow by her chair. And what looked like a bit of fabric. 

Also, did they mention that the screens were showing photos of Ayano? Like, candid photos of Ayano. In the hallway, outside the school, in her classroom, sleeping in her bed... And the panty shot. They just had to mention the panty shot screen.

 _'...oh.'_ Kuroko couldn't say anything else to that. No one could say anything else to that, not until Ayano spoke up.

_'So that's where those panties went.'_

The combined reaction of the entire Student Council could be called nothing less than a perfect, horrible, destructive storm.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldnt get to any actual dating because that was the perfect place to end it. sorry folks.


	4. Chapter 4

_'No one is allowed to date our Ayano without passing this test!'_ Akane declared angrily, slapping a paper on the table.

 _'That's just a sticky note with the words '_ are you a creep? yes or no' _on it_ ,' Ayano pointed out.

 _'I will sit down and interview any potential romantic interest to see if they meet my personal standards,'_ Kuroko proclaimed.

 _'You have too much free time,'_ Shiromi said flatly.

 _'No, I simply take Ayano's safety seriously,'_ Kuroko stated. 

_'Can we fight them all and be done with it?'_

_'You want to fight the president of the sports club. And the school's strongest delinquent,'_ Ayano reminded her.

 _'We'll worry about you.'_ Akane sighed.  _'Please, don't try it.'_

 _'Wouldn't want lover girl to get worried,'_ Shiromi teased.

_'Shut up.'_

Kuroko cleared her throat, getting the group's attention.

_'We need to focus. If Shiromi's sources are right-'_

_'-and they usually are-'_ Shiromi interjected.

_'-then the opponent has something planned for tomorrow. We must be wary and move to bring this conflict to a swift end.'_

_'We'll stop them,'_ Aoi swore, looking to Ayano. _'Once and for all.'_

_'...okay.'_

* * *

That evening, Shiromi got a text. Aoi too. So did Akane and Kuroko.

Kuroko received a shot of a moment at the start of the year, when she was so frustrated over losing the election, she started sobbing in the bathroom over all her wasted work, the perceived pity, the horrible humiliation... 

Akane's photo showed the inside of her locker. Her bag was absent, letting everyone see the failing test laid on top of her school books. And the thick stack of papers underneath that test.

Shiromi didn't even need to look to see that her picture was her stalking another student. A soft snicker left her lips at the thought. The school's information broker, trying to blackmail her with her methods of gathering information. Hilarious.

And Aoi?

Aoi's was simple.

She got a photo of her punching the lecherous substitute teacher in the face.

The four texts had the same content. Head to a certain room the moment cleaning time started, and they would be offered a deal. If not, or if they spoke to anyone else about the message, the years' worth of blackmail Info-chan had collected on them would be released and Ayano's suitors would act out their plan.

Now, the four of them knew they were the subject of many rumours. They were respected and feared, so any attempt at blackmail would have to be significant for their reputations to be completely ruined.

Something like how Kuroko was a scholarship student only admitted bcause of her exceptional grades and hard work would not do. Shiromi's information-gathering techniques would get more of an ' _I knew it'_  reaction than the waves of outrage Info-chan expected. Akane's failure in math would probably be met with back pats of sympathy. And Aoi figured that people would see her punching Rana in the face as justice. 

So, Info-chan would have had to have something bigger on each of them to be so sure they would take the bait. Either that, or she was bluffing.

But really, blackmail was not the important part of that text. The idea of poor little Ayano, forced to deal with all of her suitors at once? And a _plan?_  That just would not do.

They would head to that room, pretend to go along with the deal, and head back to the Student Council room before anyone noticed. 

After all, it wasn't like the others got that text too, right?

* * *

 Ayano sighed as she sat in the empty Student Council room, idly poking at her cold tea with a spoon. She was the only one who showed up. The clock was ticking, and nothing seemed to change, so she gave up and went for a walk around the school. 

She wound up on the roof, the wind toying with her hair as she walked. The air was fresh and the view was incredible. Ayano didn't care, though. Ayano stepped forward without paying attention to any of it. She would have walked past Midori entirely, if not for the other girl calling out for her.

_'Yan-chan! Yan-chan! Hi!'_

_'Oh... hello, Gurin-san,'_ Ayano replied, trying to act normal. And failing.

Thankfully, Midori didn't seem to notice.

_'What are you doing here? I thought Student Council meetings went on for a bit longer.'_

_'I needed to take a walk.'_

_'Oh, okay!'_ Midori exclaimed cheerfully. _'Hey, why do you hang out at the Student Council room so much, anyways? Are you part of the council?'_

 _'No, not formally,'_ Ayano answered dismissively.

_'So, what are you doing there? Hanging out with friends or something?'_

_'No, I don't believe so...'_ Ayano murmured, her brows furrowing together. She couldn't actually find a reason she would still go to the Student Council room even when it was empty. 

Aoi didn't drag her there or anything. The one-eyed girl said she had something else to do for the day. Ayano _chose_  to go to the Student Council room of her own volition.

Come to think of it, Aoi _never_  dragged her to the Student Council room. She waited to see if Ayano was coming with her, then they walked to the room together. Ayano  _chose_ to go with her.

Ayano just didn't know _why._  

She only fleetingly considered learning something from them, but she was too stunned by their antics to actually act on those thoughts most of the time. The tea was too bitter for her tongue and the room smelled like paper. The members all talked a lot on trivial matters that usually had simple solutions, bantering back and forth and arguing too. They were loud and eyecatching and Ayano didn't understand them most of the time. She didn't understand why they insisted on protecting her when she didn't need it, or why they argued so much but still considered each other friends.

Ayano had no idea why she went there. The room was full of peculiarities and annoyances. 

But. 

_(And this was the moment her eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat, her movements stilled-)_

That didn't mean she wanted to stop.

She didn't have any logical reason to want to go there, but she didn't want to stop.

Wouldn't that mean that she _wanted_  to? That, for once in her cold, logical, empty life, she wanted something _other_  than to be made whole? 

 _'Excuse me,'_ Ayano said out loud, shocking herself with her calm tone. _'I have to go.'_

_'Huh? Okay, bye Yan-chan!'_

Ayano didn't answer as she left, too busy trying to identify what was causing her heartbeat to accelerate, her breathing to hitch and pause at the oddest times. Her legs kept moving, even though she felt something in her eyes and her stomach spinning from that _something_.

Was that... what emotions felt like? Desires, wanting to scream and cry and vomit and run and- 

It was overwhelming. It was finally experiencing things like _fear_  and _sadness_  that she only knew of through stories. It was confusing and chaotic and nonsensical, but it was also _exhilarating._

Ayano Aishi, at seventeen years of age, was finally feeling something. She didn't know what that something was, or why, but she knew it was most definitely linked to those four girls. 

Even if they were loud and eyecatching and bickered a lot and wasted so much time. Even if she had so many other admirers. She needed them.

Ayano would never let them go.

She stopped in front of the Student Council room, trying to catch her breath after her run. She wanted to seem as calm as she always was, just in case there was someone inside.

Huh. She cared what the Student Council thought of her. That was new.

Ayano couldn't help but smile a little. She was learning so much about emotions! 

Without further ado, she went to open the door-

_'Gotcha!'_

And then the trap was sprung.

Rito came from nowhere, moving to scoop her up and run away as she had done so many times before. Demonic hands reached for her through the walls of the room. Shidesu threw the doors open with her strength. Amai was replacing the bitter tea with her cupcakes. Haruka and Najimi were exchanging something on their phones. Sunobu was making rose petals appear out of nowhere, while the little Yamada sneezed. 

And Saikou?

Saikou was sitting at her desk, as if she had never been gone at all.

* * *

 _'Pick up the folder in front of you,'_ Info-chan's voice instructed. _'That's what you gain if you agree.'_

For Kuroko, it was _'honour'._ For Akane, it was _'understanding'._ For Shiromi, it was _'respect'._ For Aoi, it was _'strength'._

 _'Even now, you're the replacement president,'_  Info-chan's recording declared, _'the one standing in for Saikou in the eyes of the students' eyes. None of the prestige you had last year. None of the-'_

 _'-respect. Of course not, who would respect the rat who sneaks around for information?'_ Anothervideo asked. _'It doesn't matter how hard you've worked for this school, the students, their_ futures _. They will continue to see you as lesser than the others, they will never-'_

 _'-understand you,'_ She said, her tone pitching up mockingly at the end. _'You're the airhead who's lucky to still be in the Student Council. Not like anyone knows how much work you put into your grades, or how tired you are after your part time job and school work. They just don't see your-'_

_'-strength is what you pride yourself on, but it's not enough, isn't it? You need something better to be able to keep winning your fights, you need to be stronger. Or else you'll fail everyone who depends on you. I'm sure that would be a blow to your honour.'_

To all four, she offered, _'I'll give you what you desire most. It's simple for me to get this done. All you have to do is step away from her for a week. Just one. That's all you need.'_

All four responded with a simple question.

_'Are you done yet?'_

_'You'd think someone we heard so little from would know how to shut up,'_ Shiromi said with a smirk.

 _'I could never do such a thing! Especially not without asking Ayano-chan!'_ Akane exclaimed.

 _'I'll remember that you attempted to bribe the acting Student Council president,'_ Kuroko promised. 

 _'And then I'm gonna kick your ass!'_ Aoi swore.

Just as Info-chan thought they would.

_'Oh well. Too bad. Good thing you're already too late.'_

Normally, this would be the scene where Info-chan switched the screen to show Ayano being fawned over, just to taunt the four. The Student Council would realize that the door was locked and try to escape, but fail. The girls would desperately try to impress Ayano, and be grateful to Info-chan for letting the meeting happen. Then Info-chan could use that gratitude for favours, while simultaneously getting them away from her Ayano. They would work for her in a desperate attempt to see their lost love again, while Ayano would adore her as the one who saved her from her rapid admirers! Info-chan had it all planned out.

Except for the part where Ayano was glaring at her fans in a rare display of actual anger. And looking ready to fight.

 _'Get away from me,'_ She ordered, eyes dark. _'I need to find them.'_

 _'..._ **who?** ' At least seven people asked, reaching for their weapons with varying levels of subtlety.

Ayano stared at them for a second, before smirking slightly. She changed her expression so fast only Shiromi could catch the smile before it became a dejected frown.

 _'My friends... I'm just worried about them, and I haven't seen them today anywhere... If you saw Aoi-chan or Akane-chan or Shiromi-chan or Kuroko-chan, I'd be_ so _grateful...'_

It was kind of like a scavenger hunt started. They all stood still for a few seconds, until the words sunk in and they scattered to start their search.

Ayano turned to stare straight at the surveillance camera, her face blank as she plucked it from its hiding spot. 

 _'Info-chan, right?'_ Ayano waited for a response, even with no way to actually get it. _'You need to delete all your photos of me. And get rid of that body pillow. It upsets the people I care about.'_

Kurokoswore over Ayano painting a target on her back. Shiromi wondered about the implications of such a statement. Akane was proud of Ayano for being so manipulative. And Aoi was still trying to break the door down.

Still, they all had to admit. That display of cleverness was actually kind of hot.

* * *

  _'So... what do you call it when you care about a person more than anyone else?'_ Ayano asked casually the next day, going through her phone. As expected, Saikou, Yamada, Shidesu, and Odayaka bombarded her with texts after receiving their reward.

 _'Depends,'_ Shiromi answered with a shrug.

 _'You like someone?'_ Aoi asked.

 _'I like you,'_ Ayano answered, causing the other girl to blush. _'I like all of you.'_

 _'Oh, so as friends!'_ Akane exclaimed, only for Kuroko to pinch her under the table in an attempt to get her to shut up.

_'I... don't know. I've never really felt like this before.'_

_'What d'you mean, 'like this'?'_

_'Proper pronunciation.'_

_'Now's not the time, Kuroko-chan.'_

_'Well...'_ Ayano turned pink as she poked her fingers together. _'I like spending time with you. I want to spend time with you. I feel empty when I'm not with one of you. I care about what you think of me. I feel embarrassed easily. I turn red easily. My heartbeat accelerates. I want to keep all of you with me forever.'_

 _'Oh. You're in love with us,'_ Akane whispered.

 _'Okay,'_ Shiromi said simply.

_'Are you an idiot?! Who replies to a love confession with just 'okay'!?'_

_'Typically... We respond with whether those feelings are requited or not?'_

_'I believe so...'_ Akane hummed.

 _'I meant 'okay' as in 'okay, I'll date you','_ Shiromi stated. Ayano blinked as Aoi screamed, and then Ayano felt something go down her face. 

She had to touch her cheek to confirm it. Her fingers came back wet, and Ayano suddenly realized she was crying. 

 _'What the hell, Shiromi?! How did you make her cry?!'_ Aoi demanded, pulling Ayano to her chest protectively.

_'Maybe I'm too wonderful.'_

_'That is not considered a valid reason.'_

_'...is it wrong that I still want to stay with all of you?'_ Ayano asked, trying not to get Aoi's chest wet and failing.

_'No, I mean, you were in love with all of us, so it's natural that you'd still be- ouch!'_

_'Try to read the mood here!'_ Aoi snapped. 

_'I'm okay with sharing.'_

_'...I have no objections, if it would make you happy.'_

_'Wait. Wait, you mean you want to date all of-'_  Akane was cut off by another pinch. 

 _'I mean... I guess it doesn't really matter,'_ Aoi mumbled. _'Not like I care or anything.'_

 _'Oh. Okay, uh, please treat me kindly!'_ Akane exclaimed, despite not really understanding what the heck was happening.

 _'I... thank you. Thank you for this. Thank you for everything.'_ Ayano lifted her head and smiled, even though she was still sort of sniffling and sobby. _'Thank you for teaching me what love and friendship is.'_

* * *

 A week later, one of them (Aoi) finally slipped up and beat up Ruto while screaming that Ayano was a taken girl.

An assassin was sent after the entire Student Council, Ayano, and Ayano's family line. The assassin fell for Ayano when Ayano screamed that she would never let anyone take her loved ones away from her, and stabbed the other girl in the arm. 

The would-be assassin was then punched by eight different people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep thinking shiromi has like a short haircut and then a long ponytail at the back but she doesnt and i feel betrayed.  
> also i cant make midori a yandere without feeling like im corrupting something good and pure.... i just cant...  
> edit: yes the assassin is nemesis


End file.
